


words hung above

by tousled



Category: DreamWorks Dragons (Cartoon), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Background Relationships, Country & Western, Established Relationship, Everyone is a horse girl AU, F/M, Mistletoe, Snoggletog (How to Train Your Dragon), Snoggletog Challenge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-05 16:31:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16814335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tousled/pseuds/tousled
Summary: A series of fics/ficlets for the Snoggletog 2018 challenge, set in a modern Western small town AU.





	1. snow & yaknog

**Author's Note:**

> I can't really draw, but I wanted to join in [this Snoggletog challenge](http://despiteherself.tumblr.com/post/180706346939/like-if-you-accept-the-challenge-id-do-this-on) so this is my contribution! A series of ficlets of this completely self indulgent HTTYD AU set in a vague, unnamed town in the American West. I miss Wyoming (& South Dakota) so much. Take me back. Also, I'm not American so I'm probably going to mess up a bunch of Americanisms, forgive me, but I don't love the West that much. I figure HTTYD isn't good at keeping to their supposed setting either, so I'm all good. 
> 
> The song of these ficlets is [Shrike by Hoizer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWLqdAJbu0A). More for the general _sound_ than the lyrics really, but god do I love the lyrics too. Title is from it too. 
> 
> The first chapter's prompts are day 1: snow & day 2: yaknog. They're together because I only found out about this challenge today. A little liberal on the yaknog side of things, but I'm sure everyone's far more likely to drink actual eggnog. Please let me know what you think!

There’s a lingering chill in the air when Astrid meets up with most of the rest of the gang in town. It’s still early, so she’s sure her lack of jacket won’t be a problem, but Hiccup’s rugged up like it’s midwinter. He looks hilarious compared the others, scarf and beanie and big puffy parka. 

“It’s going to snow, I can feel it,” he’s saying as Astrid gets close enough to hear. He’, arguing with Snotlout, or perhaps, arguing with Snotlout’s tank top. Astrid would argue with Snotlout’s tank too; she’d throw it out if she had to live in the same space. No one can seriously argue that many holes are purposely there. 

“The twins not here?” She interrupts, sitting down next to Hiccup on the park bench. Immediately he scoots over, leaning into Astrid’s arm and unapologetically tries to steal her heat. 

“They’re late,  _ again. _ ” Snotlout rolls his eyes, crossing his arms. The again is mostly unnecessary, the twins are  _ always  _ late.

“It’s probably you guys fault,” Astrid offers. Everyone knows the twins aren’t late when she invites them anywhere. No one else has seemingly caught on she gives the twins a ten to fifteen minute grace period. 

“This is what happens when we all keep encouraging and rewarding their lateness, you know,” Fishlegs adds, not looking up from his book. It’s rich for him to say that, after all, he’s the one with a book. Astrid smiles at him, over Hiccup’s head as Hiccup buries himself further into Astrid’s side. Feeling the gaze, Fishlegs looks up and offers a little smile in return. 

It’s really only another five minutes before Ruff and Tuff show up, drinks in hand. Ruff’s got some iced concoction that Astrid isn’t entirely sure is on menu for the best coffee shop in town, and Tuff’s juggling something for everyone else. It looks a struggle but he’s managed thus so no one jumps up to help. Astrid would, but her warmth parasite tugs her back into place. 

“You’re only fifteen minutes late with Starbucks,” Snotlout calls out, but forgets the jeer immediately when Tuff passes over a pumpkin spice latte.

“I wasn’t going to bring you anything,” Ruff takes a loud slurp of her drink, pulling a face to look up over the rims of her sunglasses. She doesn’t really need sunglasses on in this weather, but she’d wear them inside at night so the clouds overhead don’t really mean anything. The juxtaposition of half the gang in almost summer gear, and Hiccup in midwinter is somewhat ludacris. Astrid’s the only one who’s actually dressed for a ride. 

“Thanks baby,” Astrid says when Tuff dips the carry tray so she can grab her long black and Hiccup’s peppermint hot chocolate. It’s easy to coax him off now there’s a hot drink to use as a distraction. Tuff smiles big, eyes crinkling. 

“Yeah, thanks Tuff.” Fishlegs says, bookmarking his page as he takes his tea. He’s tentative as he takes a sip, often Tuff gets him the weirdest teas he can possibly find. Today, it’s obviously something relatively normal because Fishlegs takes another sip, and then another. 

“You look like a fucking polar bear’s microwave dinner.” Ruff says, now looking at Hiccup all rugged up. 

“It’s going to snow.” Hiccup says with the certainty of someone who can feel the weather in his residual leg. He’s right about eighty percent of the time, but the old gay couple down the road from his house believe his predictions with the sincerity of a field mouse. It’s enough to give anyone a complex, Astrid thinks, but speaking to another amputee was what Hiccup needed. He and Bucket swap weather predictions all the time now. “And when it does, you’ll be freezing.” 

“Yeah, alright.” Ruff shrugs, slurping up some more of her drink. 

“Shall we go?” Astrid asks, pushing up off the park bench. Her car was in a thirty minute park, it’s probably getting close to the time limit by the time they walk over. Tuff sinks into Astrid’s space as she angles herself to get the others moving. 

“I brought my bike,” Snotlout offers. It’s really a squeeze to fit five adults in Astrid’s secondhand car so he should really know not to bring the bike into town. 

“You freak the horses with that noise,” Astrid chides. She knows  _ why  _ he insists on bringing the bike though, a certain stable hand is somewhat impressed when Snotlout shows up on it. 

“He’ll freak the horses out with his face,” Ruff offers, smirking around the straw of her drink. 

“Hey!” Snotlout calls, stepping over to elbow Ruff sharply. She shoves back; her elbow is sharper, 

“It’ll definitely start snowing before we get to the stables,” Fishlegs adds dryly, watching on, unimpressed. He does nothing to stop it though, so he’s not one to talk. He looks like in a few seconds 

“Well, I’m going for a ride,” Astrid offers. She glares just in case anyone tries to make a joke and takes Tuff’s hand. Everyone else can catch up or find their own way. 

“We can always just groom the horses,” Tuff says, grinning. He tips the last of his mocha back, offering to take Astrid’s finished cup too. He knows her too well if he’s aware she’s already drunk her coffee. 

If they’re not gone in another five minutes Astrid’s definitely getting a ticket so she tugs at their joined hands and lets Tuff detour her so he can throw away their rubbish. She glances up at him, locs tucked behind an ear and brown skin warm. His eyelashes are so long, and if it does snow, it’ll start slow and flakes will catch in his hair and eyebrows and his too long eyelashes. It’ll be -  _ nice. _

“They’re all city slickers, you know.” Tuff offers, serious in his expression but not his tone. Only Hiccup and Fishlegs have city roots, so it’s only a half truth. “Not everyone takes horses as serious as you do.”

“Forgive me,” Astrid murmurs, teasing. She drops his hand to fish her keys out of her pocket. Fishlegs works part time at a vet’s, and is learning to be a farrier, and Hiccup won’t shut up about this jet black stallion he keeps seeing everywhere,  _ I swear it’s real Astrid, I don’t think anyone owns it.  _ Everyone’s as serious as she is. 

“I am  _ definitely  _ taking Astrid’s car!” Hiccup announces, opening the back door before Astrid can even open her door. 

“I’ll ride with Snotlout,” Ruff offers, tucking her rubbish into Fishleg’s hands as she flicks her hair over shoulder, movie star glamorous. “In any case, only two people will fit in the back with Hiccup’s damn snow gear.” Hiccup doesn’t even dispute it, clamouring it and shutting the door with a slam. 

“Alright, we’ll see you there then.” Astrid offers, leaning on the roof of her car for a moment until she jumps back because the metal has gone freezing. 

She slips into the driver’s seat, putting the keys in and glancing into the rearview mirror to make sure everyone’s putting their seatbelts on. Fishlegs has his book down on the seat between him and Hiccup as he buckles in, flicking a smile Astrid’s way when their eyes meet in the mirror. She glances over at Tuff in the passenger seat, knees half way up around his ears as he adjusts the seat so he’s not completely squishing Fishlegs. Once everyone’s ready Astrid chucks the car into gear and takes off. 

“When it snows we can head back to mine and have Eggnog or something. Mulled wine or whatever.” Hiccup adds, unwinding his scarf. 

“Do you even have eggnog or the ingredients for mulled wine?” Astrid asks. It’s only a little bait, and mostly genuine because it sounds nice. 

“I’m sure the cook knows how to make it. I’ll text them.” Hiccup replies, taking his phone out and looks completely confused as everyone else laughs. “What?” 

“Never change,” Fishlegs offers. Catching just a glimpse of Hiccup’s expression in the rearview mirror as she merges into a main road Astrid can see he’s confused as all hell, but doesn’t press. 

Regardless if it snows or not, Astrid thinks it’s going to be a good day anyway. 


	2. three: mistletoe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> day 3: mistletoe of this [ snoggletog challenge](http://despiteherself.tumblr.com/post/180706346939/like-if-you-accept-the-challenge-id-do-this-on). this is set a few days after the last chapter's ficlet. yes, there's kissing. more eggnog mention. i didn't set an age before but the gang are in the mid twenties. 
> 
> hope you enjoy! and please comment.

It’s tradition that the day after the first snows the Haddock household hosts a decorating party. Sometimes, it snows mid October, so it’s the only house for miles in red and green and tinsel whilst the orange and black of fake spiders and carved pumpkins are around. Some of the local kids have made up ridiculous stories about why it’s that way; half truths about a dead wife at Christmas time and the Haddock’s big business owning a Christmas ornament factory. Half the pre-school thinks Stoick might secretly be Santa Claus. 

The truth is much simpler - the Haddock house is big, with bedrooms and bedrooms, hallways of empty rooms and Hiccup was alone in it all. The movies on the television spoke of the Christmas Spirit and how it’s about  _ family  _ and all he had wanted was his dad to come home and spend a little time. Astrid bought the first ornament, a tacky sparkle covered reindeer, and Tuff had cried about getting the  _ biggest tree ever, Mr Stoick, your house is so big the tree could be so big!  _ And the rest is history. 

“You’re late,” Hiccup says as he takes Astrid’s coat, tugging at it before Astrid’s even properly in the door. She shrugs it off her shoulders, twirling as she slips out of it. She’s come from the stables; she and Eret had to do repairs as the storm last night had ripped free some of the roof and spooked the horses. 

“You’ve hardly started,” Astrid points out, looking over at the giant Christmas tree in the foyer, still undecorated except for a pile of presents under it already. The decoration boxes are sprawled around the room. 

“No, but the eggnog is mostly gone.” Hiccup finally wrangles the coat, opening an inconspicuous door to hang it sloppily up on a hanger. His cheeks are pink, and Astrid had thought it was the warmth of the room and his silly Christmas jumper. 

“I can tell.” She offers, half a smirk and Hiccup nudges their shoulders together as he awkwardly throws his arm around her. 

“I’m sure Tuff’s saved you a cup.” He shrugs, leading Astrid towards the kitchen. 

There’s a chorus of hellos as Astrid steps in, and no eggnog at all, but that was hardly a surprise. Fishlegs is at the stove, stirring something, and it smells delicious and chocolatey and spiced. She waves a hello and adds her pile of small gifts to the kitchen bench. Immediately the twins are picking through the box, looking at the names on the badly wrapped presents. 

“Eret sends his regards,” Astrid offers to the room, taking a stool. 

“Did he mention me specifically?” Snotlout asks, his interest in being as nosy as Ruff and Tuff lost for a moment. 

“No, and  _ no  _ Hiccup, he didn’t mention you either.” Astrid replies, helping to tip the gifts out onto the bench so Tuff can properly sort them. 

“I wasn’t going to ask.” Hiccup huffs, taking the seat next to Astrid, even though his mouth had definitely been open and ready to ask the same question. 

“I made spiced hot chocolate, would you like some Astrid?” Fishlegs calls over his shoulder, and Astrid flicks him a smile and a thumbs up. 

“We should have made Snow Bunnies,” Hiccup laments, and Astrid shares a look with the others. Hiccup can barely manage a coat, how’s he going to go with tinsel and beaded garlands. 

“More alcohol after we finish decorating.” Fishlegs compromises. He’s got that too fond look on his face. Astrid feels a bit that way too. 

“I saved you some eggnog A,” Tuff interrupts, putting the last present into his own pile of little goodies. He smiles, warm, his own cheeks flushed.

“He drank it though.” Ruff adds with a laugh. 

“Sorry,” he says, not looking that sorry. His hair is up, and Astrid thinks about curling her hand around his neck and tasting the last of the eggnog out of his mouth. 

Fishlegs sets a hot chocolate in front of Astrid, breaking her concentrated counted of the wisps of hair escaping at his temples. She looks down, and takes a deep breath of the spicy chocolate smell. “It’s okay baby, I appreciate it anyway.” 

“Ew.” Snotlout interrupts, taking his own hot chocolate from Fishlegs. Astrid thinks it’s mostly automatic now, but she sends a kick Snotlout’s way anyway. 

“Gift time!” Hiccup announces, reaching out the pile on the kitchen bench closet to him and dragging it closer. It’s not actually his lot, it’s Fishlegs’ and he swaps the pile for a hot chocolate when Hiccup picks up one to unwrap. 

“Can I have marshmallows in my hot chocolate?” Tuff asks, fluttering his eyelashes like it’ll make someone do what he wants. Fishlegs shrugs, looking around, but there aren’t any marshmallows in the kitchen. 

“Sit down ‘Legs, I’ll look in the pantry.” Astrid says, nodding her head towards the presents, handing Hiccup over the correct ones. “Don’t open my presents.” 

The pantry is an actual room at the Haddocks’, not just a cupboard. It’s not a small room either, not like the freezer room at Astrid’s folks place. It always makes Astrid think of secret passages and mazes in old buildings, like maybe there’s a way to a bomb shelter through it all. The Haddocks also have a wine cellar, so maybe that’s the bomb shelter. 

There are some marshmallows, tucked up in between some chocolate chips and some peanut butter chips. They’re the tiny baking ones, and Astrid knows Tuff will enjoy their size more than getting a regular marshmallow so she doesn’t bother to continue to look. She brings the mini marshmallows back into the kitchen and hands the bag over to Tuff to pour as many as he likes into his drink. 

“Is Stoick going to be here?” Astrid asks, looking over at Hiccup. He’s focused on the weirdest looking blue jay Christmas ornament Astrid’s ever seen in her life. Whoever designed that thing has never seen a blue jay in real life. 

“He’ll be late,” Snotlout offers, tearing at the paper around a hockey inspired ornament. It’s the wrong team, but that’s the joke. Ruff’s sniggering into her drink. This year it’s the Arizona Coyotes, and Snotlout looks appropriately insulted. 

“Open mine first,” Tuff says as Astrid sits down, pointing to a present next to Astrid’s drink that’s wrapped in paper that says  _ Birthday Boy!  _ It’s probably a horse ornament, because that’s everyone’s joke to Astrid, years and years and years worth of horse themed ornaments. 

“Have you opened the one from me?” Astrid responds, picking up the present. The shape does feel like a horse. Tuff smiles sweetly, some melted marshmallow stuck to the top of his lip as he goes to open the gift from Astrid. 

This year, Astrid had gone serious with her ornament giving. The jokes are fun, a part of the tradition as much as giving each other little ornaments to place on the tree is, but after the family holiday to Quebec Astrid had taken it as seriously as a Christmas-only shop. Tuff’s had been an ornamental star that probably had far more religious significance than Astrid could parse, but it was beautiful and she had thought of him. She’d spent far more than the unspoken rule, but opening up to see a clearly hand carved rocking horse she knows Tuff did the same thing. 

Astrid sinks into the company around her, the wrapping paper on the table and the exclaims of joy, of annoyance, the laughter of everyone as they open the gifts. She does indeed receive a bunch of horse ornaments. How everyone keeps track of what each other is getting and what she’s already got she doesn’t know. There must be a group chat and a shared Google document or something. 

Hiccup gets bored of waiting for his dad to come back from a board meeting or a conference call or something and drags everyone and their gifts back into the foyer to get started on decorating the tree. Fishlegs gets the step ladder before Ruff suggests Hiccup climbs on her shoulders to put things up high. Snotlout shoves the Arizona Coyotes ornament into the box with his name alongside the rest of the hockey ornaments and pointedly puts every single other ornament he owns up. 

Half way through Tuff wrapping everyone up in tinsel and Hiccup haphazardly putting garlands on the walls Stoick returns. He looks tired until he sees the mess, and then laughs a belly laugh like he really is auditioning to be Santa. “Did you drink all of the chef’s eggnog already kids?” He asks with another laugh, welcoming the hug Tuff drops tinsel for. 

“I didn’t get any,” Astrid supplies, exaggerating the way she looks over at Hiccup and she shares a secret smile with Stoick about it. Sometimes being in the Haddock household, for all it’s endless corridors and bedroom after bedroom, is like coming home to another family. Maybe it was empty before, but full of all of her friends it’s warm and full. 

“There’s hot chocolate simmering on the stove top,” Fishlegs offers, even though everyone knows now Stoick’s home he’ll bring out the brandy. 

“Thanks Fishlegs, but I think I’ll grab something a little stronger.” Stoick grins, picking up a couple of garlands from one of the boxes as he goes past to hook up where the rest of them can’t reach. 

“I’ll have more hot chocolate!” Tuff says, almost bouncing on his toes and Astrid catches his arm so he doesn’t knock over the precariously placed box of older ornaments. There’s glass in there. He smiles too sweet at her, and Astrid thinks she better curb the mini marshmallow addition, just in case. 

When they step through the door way there’s a wolf whistle from behind them and Astrid shoots Snotlout a look but Hiccup’s giggling and pointing upwards is the most distracting. Astrid looks up, knowing exactly what’ll be there and spots the mistletoe that definitely wasn’t there five minutes ago. Tuff looks around, before looking up too and smiles again when he spots it. 

“Come on, tradition is tradition.” Stoick says from the kitchen, a couple of glasses in one hand and the brandy decanter in another. 

“I’m used to the others doing this, but  _ you? _ ” Astrid says, fake betrayal in her voice. She raises a had to her chest to dramatise her wounded expression. “Et tu Brute?” The whole charade last for two seconds before she drops the act and lifts a hand to Tuff’s cheek. She kisses the side of Tuff’s nose, gentle and quick, and the both of them laugh at the immediate complaining of  _ ‘really? You think that appeases the fertility gods of old?’  _

The moment Astrid kisses her boyfriend for real the complaining changes to exaggerated ‘ _ ew!’ _ s and  _ ‘do you  _ have  _ to do PDA all the time, really?’ _ But it only makes Astrid smile up into the marshmallow sweet kiss. Predictable, all of them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> extra notes:   
> 1\. i decided to call all of this celebration stuff christmas instead of snoggletog because it's an american modern au for one, and because snoggletog is just so dreamworks could do a christmas special but like make it ~~~~viking-y~~~~ sounding.   
> 2\. giving gift ornaments is a family tradition that my grandmother and mother do, i think it's really cute. i didn't appreciate it when i was a kid but i like it a lot now. it's funny because i'm less religious now than when i was a kid. (by less i mean, i'm only culturally christian and would probably get out of doing all the culturally christian things if i could). still, i think it's lovely and very sweet.   
> 3\. fishlegs gave the bird ornament because he's a nature nerd and he and hiccup originally bonded over running around the wilderness. their joke in ornament giving is to buy each other the weirdest, anatomically incorrect animals they can find. they also do it with weird halloween decorations.   
> 4\. the reference to fertility gods of old is about origins of kissing under the mistletoe. look it up, it's really interesting. 
> 
> thank you for reading i hope you liked it.


	3. four: lights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> day 4 of the snoggletog challenge: lights. a continuation of the same sort of scene as day 3's. just a short one today!

It takes far longer than really necessary for the Christmas decorations to be fully put up. Hiccup’s been delegated to yelling out orders, half slumped in an armchair, drink in one hand and Snotlout’s snoozing already. Fishlegs had been careful to wrap a handmade blanket around him and absolutely flushed when he saw everyone watching.

“I’ll do the angel on top,” Astrid offers, even though Hiccup had made a fuss it was Ruff’s turn this year. Ruff’s busy drawing rude pictures on the sleeping Snotlout’s face, and besides, Astrid’s the only one sober enough to climb the ladder. 

“I’ll hold the ladder,” Stoick offers, bracing it even though it’s fine and Astrid smiles her thanks. 

“I’ll help!” Tuff announces, knocking into the ladder in a way that would have sent Astrid toppling if Stoick hadn’t been there. She uses his head to help stablise herself. 

“Tuff, you can pass the angel up to Astrid,” Hiccup orders, words half mumbled as he takes another sip of his drink. Tuff grins, as bright at the lights already curled over the Christmas tree branches. He’s very careful as he pulls the angel out of a box, curling his big hands around to cradle the ceramic parts. It sends something sharp and warm shooting down to the very ends of Astrid’s fingers and toes. 

“Thanks baby,” Astrid bends to take the angel with the same sort of carefulness. It was Hiccup’s mother’s, and something of a family heirloom so gentle hands are necessary. There is something special about settling it atop the tree, using the clips to hold it in place. Astrid never met Hiccup’s mom, but it’s a bit like she’s here too. 

Tuff helps Astrid down the ladder, although it’s unnecessary and lets him curl up into the space he makes for himself in her arms. He’s taller and broader than her, so it probably looks ridiculous, but Astrid holds him, his face tucked into her neck and hair tickling her nose. 

“Shall we light the rest up?” Fishlegs asks, standing by a powerpoint that’s connected to another string or two of lights. 

“Let’s,” Stoick agrees, but everyone waits for Hiccup to nod just to humour him. Ruff is snoozing on the couch next to Snotlout now, pen tucked behind her ear. Fishlegs spares them a glance but flicks the switch on. 

“T, wanna see the lights?” Astrid murmurs into Tuff’s hairline and lets her mouth rest there, not really pressing a kiss as just existing close. Tuff nods, shifting so he can look up and instead of glancing back up at the snowflakes and reindeer and shining lights she watches the way it all plays out on Tuff’s face. 


End file.
